


No place for the heart without a home

by Jeageractive



Series: Child Eren collection [6]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, here's your chrismats gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-02-28 21:25:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2747648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeageractive/pseuds/Jeageractive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What's the matter, kid? You lost?"  A bruise, a thin coat, flowers in his hands. Levi knew better. </p><p>Balloons and warm chocolate don't fix everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No place for the heart without a home

**Author's Note:**

> wow look at that original world play on the title

Levi had seen people on the streets. Matted, asleep, sitting on a bench with a torn backpack. Their eyes are empty, sometimes angry, sometimes moist.They had made a decision, maybe hadn't, and winded up in such circumstances.

Levi, however, has never seen a child this way. Because a child is never held responsible for choice. A child plays, turns a blind eye to terrors that go beyond the monster under their bed, and listen to their parents and guardians. 

He learns a lot about himself. Realizes he hadn't seen as much he'd thought he'd seen. 

At first, it was hard to distinguish the difference between the small stain in the distance, small and insignificant by a lamp post. When Levi trudges closer through the snow, hands deep and warm into his pockets, he sees a little boy, head covered in a dark toque, red around his neck and in his hands. He realizes a bit too late what was missing, the presence of an adult anywhere near. By the time he's nearly passing by him, he can see the roses held in his hands, the scuffed and bony little fingers holding the stems. His eyes were green and glowed under the dim light, unidentifiable particles flowing above his head in a steady slow dance. He sends a glance upwards, almost shy as this strange man walks by, promptly looks back ahead.

Levi gives him no more than a brief look and continues on his way. By the time he'd realized that it was too late and dark for a kid to be outside, he was on his porch and couldn't seem to care less.

Why he hadn't noticed him before was beyond him, as that particular street seemed to be the boy's only occupation. His next daylight trek brought him across this peculiar being again, and maybe it was the affects of the sun peeking out of the clouds, but the sight didn't bother him as much as it did before.

On his way back home, he stopped. He was still standing in spot, cheeks bitten from the cold, looking too young to give a care in the world. Levi surveyed this image again. A bruise, a thin coat, flowers in his hands."What's the matter? You lost?"

He gave Levi that same glance, lifted his chin so that his scarf no longer impaired his speaking."Do you wanna buy a flower?"

It was strange how much that dug deep into the crevices of his chest at that moment, tugged at something that nearly made him flinch. "Hm." He searched through his pocket instinctively, finding some cold change. He extracted a toonie, placed it in the boy's mitten when he made no move to take it."I'll take one."

A smile tugged at his chapped lips, and as he struggled to pull one out from the elastic that held the stems together, Levi mused over how normal he looked at that moment. A little boy in the snow, with his scarf and toque, as if his mother was taking a picture of his grin.

Two dollars wouldn't buy him dinner, he thinks momentarily. But he's home again and he's exhausted, and he's got himself to worry about. On his next drive to the office, he placed the flower in a cup of water and fixed it on Petra's desk.

Then it became something natural to see him there. For another while, Levi ignored him again, sympathetic but unable to think of a proper way of action. What was there to think about? He's an abandoned child without much on him, and the easiest to please.

On his way back from Hanji's apartment, he bought some McDonald's trash and a cup of tea. He realized in a fleeting moment an accompanying cup of hot chocolate would be nice.

The boy looked through him like he was a diaphanous thing that blended in with the streets, only looked up when Levi spoke softly to him."You hungry?" He didn't wait for a response, only weaved through snow to a very close bench, hissed when his butt met the icy seat."I'm hungry too."

He just stared at him with a wide eyed sort of curiosity, and an undertone of wariness as this still strange man set his paper bag and tray beside him. Levi rubbed his hands together a bit and gestured towards the boy."Come here."

His finger twitched. Cautious and afraid, maybe a bit tortured by the sweet smell of chocolate. The edges of an eye was tinged purple and red, and Levi noticed it for the first time, nearly grimacing."I won't hurt you."

It made him set his mind. A look of pain suddenly etched his face, underlined with coarse distrust. He bit on his shaky lip, wiped away the wetness in his eyes and turned back promtply towards the street. There he stood as still as a statue again, the only signs of life on him the occasional sniffle. 

Oh.

Levi swallowed bitterly, watched the kid's back for another few moments and contemplated his options. They weren't much. He got up, carefully tread towards him, and placed both the tray and paper bag close to his feet."Drink it before it gets cold." He says nonchalantly, slips his hands back into his pockets and walks back home. 

He guessed the empty tray and crumbled trash in it were a good sign the next day, dared another step towards the kid."You like to play?"

He got an odd look, like he'd spoken of a foreign but still curiosity striking concept, and a little twinkle in his eye."Play what?"

Levi shrugged, eyes momentarily flitting upwards in an idle gesture."Dunno. Hide and seek. Tag. League of Legends. With friends?"

"My friends are too busy working." His fingers tightened around the stems subconsciously, eyes trailing to his feet."If I don't sell enough of these Mr. Dok might get angry."

Gray eyes narrowed a bit."Does he hit you?"

"M-m." He shook his head frantically, fear glazing over his greens."He doesn't--" He swallowed."He doesn't hit us."

Us.

"Why's your cheek like that?"

"I fell." He says automatically, as if he'd previously revised it. 

Levi stared him down in scrutiny another second, and he fidgeted under his gaze. He hummed softly in thought."How about I buy all those and you come play with me a bit, hm?"

"Where?"

"I like to swing."

He blinked up at him rapidly, as if disbelieving."Really? I..." He paused to grasp his words again."Me too."

"Alright then." Levi mindlessly fixed his crooked toque, stuffed a twenty dollar bill in his worn little jacket pocket and swung the flowers over a shoulder."You never told me your name."

"I'm Eren." He says with a small smile, as if whatever barrier before that had stopped him was now forgotten. Levi held out his hand as a friendly offer, but the boy clasped his hands behind his back and gave him a look of discomfort.

"You can call me Levi."

"Mr. Levi." He said experimentally, following when Levi took a few steps ahead.

"Nope, only Levi."

"You sure?"

"Sure."

"Mr. Levi sounds nice."

"Mr. Levi sounds shitty."

A surprised giggle, one that oddly satisfied whatever it was that had Levi drowning in guilt.

-

Levi had caught him staring at the glass of a little toy shop on their way across the cold streets, spun back and went inside. Eren refused to follow or say whatever had sparked his interest through the display case.

Levi, having absolutely no idea what to pick out for him, bought a thing of balloons inflated with helium and handed them over to him. Eren broke his neck staring up at them for the rest of their walk, nearly hitting a pole or two if Levi didn't pull him out of the way in time. He was a quiet child, quieted by his fears, but sometimes couldn't contain his fleeting excitement.

He screamed when Levi pushed him too high on the swings, laughed when he got a few under ducks. 

Levi flopped down in the snow after the hundredth under duckie and tried to breathe, was brought up again by a chunk of snow hitting him in eye. 

"Whoops."

"You little shit."

After a vigorous snowball fight of Levi intentionally missing and Eren hitting all the right targets, Levi joined him on an empty swing and plucked snow out of his hair."You're a terror, you know that?"

"Mikasa taught me how to shoot." Eren says with an excited grin as he pushes against the ground to swing.

"Mikasa?" Levi parrots idly, rubbing his frozen cheeks with his warm mittens. 

"She's my sister."

"Nice sister you got there. You can kill with that aim."

"She says thanks for the...circle cake thingy with weird stuff inside."

Levi stared at him for a long moment, face twisted in confusion as he tried to match an image to the description."The donut?"

Eren shrugged in genuine uncertainty, the older giving him a small smile. He huffed a breath and stuck his hands between his legs. "Where do you live?"

That uncomfortable look settled back on his face, as if he was reminded of his situation for the first time."With Mr. Dok."

Levi didn't like that name already. Not with the way Eren would stiffen with fear when he says it. "What about your parents?"

Eren stares at his feet instead of providing an answer, breathing getting heavy nervously."Can you take me back to my street? I can only get home from there."

It was back, the unsettling and apprehensive mood, just as dusk began to fall. Levi got up and dusted his snow covered ass, wrapped the balloon strings around Eren's palm and tied them so he wouldn't have to worry about holding on to them.

The colorful mass of inflated balloons pushed back steadily with the wind on the walk back, and Eren spared them no glance. His eyes were set ahead in a lifeless manner, his lips pursed and his shoulders tense. 

Levi threw a few glances his way. Wondered what he should do. What he _could_ do. Eren hadn't really provided him with enough information.

It was hard to sleep that night, with so much questions and dreads swimming in his head. Should he really have just let the kid go? What would reporting him do, anyway? And all the such. He was still groggy as he got out of bed the next morning, showered to get out of his stiff stance and headed out to work.

Eren, to his partial dismay, partial relief, was nowhere to be seen as he drove past. It was too cold for the kid.

The lively state of the office was uplifting, made him forget his discomforts and engulfed him with grossly festive cheer. Petra on a chair by the lobby window, lights in her hands, emitting a half squeal, half growl at Auruo who failed to keep it steady. Gunther by the little coffee area infesting mugs with loads of sugar, Erd standing in a corner with a horrendous Christmas sweater on as he talks on his phone, judging by that smile with his girlfriend. 

"Good morning!" Petra smiles brightly and he gives her something akin to a grimace, drifting toward the open blinds that displayed the blizzard in full and depressing clarity."No, don't do that! We're just getting to that window." She protests when he draws the blinds down.

"This is a day ruiner. Look at all that snow."

"It'll look better when he have coffee and the lights are on, just watch."

The door to the lobby was being gradually kicked open and instead of a human a huge Christmas tree with feet stepped through."Where do I put it?" Was Moblit's small mumble.

"Hmm." Hanji shoved past him and gave the lobby a onceover."To that very best corner!"

"To the only empty corner." Levi mutters, yawning as he steps into his own office and leaves the door open a crack, just for the hell of listening to their comforting rambles. He tossed himself over his desk and nearly dozed off, papers underneath his cheek bringing him back to the world of the awake.

-

Levi wondered about things. About what was out of his league. Really, would he be able to take care of a child? What if he adopted Eren? He was back at home, still groggy for some reason, third mug of coffee between his lips. It was too cold and for that the kid wasn't in his usual spot, probably back home. Home.

Where was that?

Even if he was able to convince himself to adopt Eren, he'd said he had a sister. Levi was no game for two. Or one. Or children, or humans, at all. 

Maybe, though, maybe he could try. It didn't seem like it could get any worse for Eren.

-

"Aw, this is horrible!" Petra whines in genuine sympathy. "This time of year, too, why would--? My god." 

Levi was still absent, eyes glued on his laptop as paper crinkled, exclamations were made.

"For real?" Gunther asks, and Erd clicks his tongue.

"Sucks."

"Poor thing." Petra chokes out, and Auruo snickers.

"You crying?"

"I--" She sniffles. Levi sends a glance up, lips quirking back a bit at her quick overflow of tears, and she wiped at her mascara, laughing despite herself."Don't look at me like that, you cold hearted bastard."

"What is it now? Kitten got a scab and now's on the headlines?" He drawls sarcastically. She folds the newspaper up and slides it towards him across the coffee table. Levi grabs it, flips it open with a sigh. 

There's a familiar face plastered on the front page of the paper, but Levi for some reason couldn't grasp an identification for it. It was only a brief moment, though. There was a picture of a little kid with a grin, much younger than the one Levi had known, and an article about his death.

'Foster child abused and assaulted by legal guardian' The headline read. Levi's fingers subconsciously crumbled the edge of the paper as he continued reading the details. Numerous injuries located on his body, emotional and physical abuse, seven year old, child labor....

_Found dead close to home in the strong blizzard last Wednesday, case being investigated..._

He stopped. 

"Sad, isn't it?" Petra murmurs, and there's suddenly a very noticeable silence as the other four regarded Levi closely. He realizes he's put the newspaper down, had his knuckles against his lips as he stares at his reflection in the clear glass top of the table.

"Levi?"

"Hm?" He swallows, tries to look at her. Instantly looks away.

"I said it was sad."

He stares to the side again, something like a hazy drowsiness falling over him again. He sets his hands on his knees, makes a useless gesture. Opts to throwing his gaze to the side again and agreeing with a still dazed nod.

The other four drifted into conversation again."Kid didn't even make it through December." 

"You think if he had someone to take care of him it would be different?"

"Course it would."

**Author's Note:**

> sorta Little Match Girl related


End file.
